Temptations
by StoryCurrentlyUntitled
Summary: In this moment, he's sure that he's never witnessed a more real form of purity and beauty than the girl he's looking at. And also in this moment, he's sure he's never loved anyone more and will never love anyone more. Kyou and Tohru.
1. Lean On Me

**Hey there everyone, Untitled is finally back from the massive break I took. God, first it was massive storms and then I got a job and finally moved across the country. But anyway, I am where I am now, greatly enjoying my time with my family. I figured I'd come back with something fresh for everyone to take in, rather than just updating one of my other stories. Anyhow, about the story…**

** Basically, it's a series of one-shots of Kyou and Tohru based off of different songs by the Temptations that I enjoy. You'll never guess in a million years how many times I had to listen to each of these songs as I wrote to keep my creative energy moving. Let's just say it's a lot.**

** This first one is going to be "Lean on Me." Here, Kyou's not having the best day ever and who's there to cheer him up when the chips are down? Tohru of course! Not sure how the rest will come, but hopefully they will turn out well.**

As the torrents of rain and loud rumbles of thunder repeatedly bombard the house, a young man known to some as the "stupid cat", stares out through the window pane. Lightening illuminates the room, exposing the deep scowl lines embedded on his face. Somehow, the day had gotten on the "bad news bus", took a wrong turn at terrible and crashed into the corners of Colossal Waste and Pain in the Ass.

Sure, the sun had been shining and the birds had been singing their usual songs and Tohru had been walking with them to school, talking about what fun the upcoming school festival would be. He had been smiling softly at her in the usual way as well, willing her to not turn toward him and at the same time hoping she would as well.

The first bad thing that had happened came this morning, when he would have to walk to school with that damn rat, Yuki. No time spent with this guy is –in Kyou's book- a good thing. He had been walking to school together with this bastard ever since Tohru moved in, so he is relatively used to it. Even still, that fifteen minutes he must endure the guy's smiling at Tohru and talking -not just to her, but in general- is excruciating. It's like having an insect slowly burrow into your brain listening to this idiot spout off about his 'secret base' or whatever.

Just when he had been starting to think he'd rather have shards of glass in his ass than be here, the school building came into sight and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Thinking back on that as he adjusts his head on the pillow, it doesn't seem as bad as the continuation of the chain of events leading up to this moment. He puts his hands behind his head and closes his eyes, regrettably recalling what happened next.

At around ten in the morning there was a free period, as the teacher was out and there was no one to fill in. Everyone had decided to take this time to play "Rich man, Poor man", a game commonly brought up during periods of boredom. He decided to join in on it, mostly to show that Yankee friend of Tohru's that he could win against her.

And then it happened.

"I'd like to join if there is room," A soft voice came from behind one of Kyou's other classmates. It was Yuki, _the embodiment of antisocial awkwardness_, wanting to join the game. The orange-haired boy can remember feeling his eye twitch with irritation.

He had looked over toward the next sound he had heard, which was a small giggle coming from the direction of Tohru's seat.

The metal legs of the chair gave an awful screech as Tohru pulled it over next to her own seat. "Here, Sohma-kun, sit next to me! Of course there's room!" It was probably the first time that her kindness had ever made Kyou angry. The temperamental boy can remember grinding his teeth together in annoyance. Not only was he joining in a game that –to Kyou- he was not welcomed to, Yuki was also getting more of _her_ attention.

Kyou knows that he's not supposed to vie for someone's attention, much less hold such a considerable amount of affection for another person the way he does for Tohru. He also knows the trouble that could thus ensue if it was ever found to be true that he is harboring such emotions for this girl by the head of the family, Akito. But this is how it is, he cares for her. So, needless to say it pisses him off when other men try to be too close.

Surprisingly, he had made it through the game without blowing up at Yuki in front of Tohru and the others. Once again, he lost to that damn rodent and is the "Poor man", writing the notes the absent teacher had left for someone to copy up onto the board.

"So, Kyou's the poor man again huh?" Yuki asked, trying to sound nonchalant to Tohru. The only thing that it did however, was further invoke Kyou's frustration. Even if he knew that he wasn't good enough to win anything, he didn't need Yuki to constantly remind him of it.

"I guess he is," Tohru replied in a quieter voice, turning her beautiful blue eyes toward the angry teen, "Would you like me to help Kyou-kun?" A small smile filled her face as she asked, hoping to be of assistance.

For an instant, and an instant only, the cat's attention was taken off being overwhelmingly angry with Yuki, and put to a much different use. His entire focus went to forcing himself not to smile back, at least not where the rat could see him.

"No Tohru. I lost, so don't worry about it…" He trails off, his thoughts moving back in the direction of anger. His eyes meet with that damn rat's for a moment before his next words come out. "One day, I'll definitely win."

"If you need to say it every day to feel better, then go right ahead…_baka neko._" The rat tells him icily, turning to leave. Reaching his breaking point, Kyou sends a kick towards the boy's head, making Tohru squeal and look around, horrified. Probably worried a teacher might see this.

Luckily for the cat, no one is around but Tohru when Yuki's counter attack sends him flying to the ground. Without another word, the rat turns and leaves the classroom, leaving a shocked Tohru and injured Kyou on the ground together in the room.

Wiggling toward the boy on her knees, Tohru lifted his head into her lap, careful not to be too close.

"Are you ok, Kyou-kun?" Her voice came out timid, her words a little shaky. He knew that it deeply upsets her to see the two of them fight and remembers cursing himself mentally for letting the rat-boy get to him. It had been Yuki's fault for provoking him to begin with though.

Kyou lifted his hand slightly, remembering that he still has not answered Tohru's question. He latched onto her school blazer with his large fingers, looking up at her from an angle. If he can make her smile now and apologize, or do anything to wipe the expression of worry off her face, it'll be worth being a little embarrassed. "The only thing that got hurt today was my pride."

When he heard a small giggle pass over her small, pink lips, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Sorry for making you worry about all this all the time."

Later that afternoon, Kyou had been drinking milk while studying. Yuki was also in the room, helping Tohru study for a test next week. Just seeing the rat smile at her like that made his blood pressure rise. His teeth clenched together and in the next instant, he felt liquid running down over his uncovered red shirt and school pants. Looking down, he then realized he had been squeezing the carton so tightly that the seal at the bottom had broken, thus creating his current and very nasty dairy problem.

"Damn it!" He hissed, slamming the carton in to a garbage bin and making for the door like someone running from a burning building.

"Kyou-kun, what happened?" Tohru's soft voice floated into his ear.

"It's none of your damn business!" He whirled around toward her, shouting the harsh words without meaning to. He could see her eyes glimmer with hurt and even noticed the slight tremble of her lip. Her face lowered a little bit and the rat gave him a death glare.

"Wait, no I didn't…I mean…what I meant to say was-" Kyou rambled, not noticing Yuki until he has him by the collar of his shirt.

"Just get out of my sight and leave her the hell alone you stupid cat!" He shoved Kyou through the sliding door and into the hallway, sending him stumbling to a fall.

And the final little gem of the day was walking home alone, as the afternoon thunderstorm the weather channel had warned of that morning began to move in. Thinking back on that day and how irritated he had been, it probably all stemmed from the fact that he had known it was going to rain that day. Being around Yuki made his temper flare so, the threat of rain made his spirits dim and the final straw had been yelling at Tohru, who had been nothing but helpful to him today. That had not only made Tohru cry, but had shattered him in a way.

Being around the lively, happy-go-lucky girl up to this point had made part of him begin to forgive himself, if only a little. Hurting her, worrying her- those were the worst sins he could commit. And today, he had done both. Actually, in the past he had done both on numerous occasions, but since the time she had seen his true form and accepted it though she feared him, he had vowed to never again let his anger or frustration be misdirected at her.

He hadn't even made it a forth of the way home at his slow, solemn pace, when the sky had let loose. He broke into an exhausted run, hoping to at least not transform before he made it back to the house.

His eyes glossed over with irritation, Kyou turns away from the window and toward the door, just in time to hear a small knocking sound. It's so tiny, so soft that at first he doesn't even give it a second thought. But when it comes again after another few seconds, he sits up.

"Come in." His voice is gentle, knowing that only one person in this house would knock so gently on his door, let alone even come see him.

In comes the brunette, looking slightly bashful. "I'm coming in now…" She whispers.

He has to refrain from rolling his eyes at this shyness of hers. "Just come on in."

She tentatively steps inside, her face slightly red. She carries a trey of rice balls, freshly made.

"I thought I'd bring you these since you never came down to eat tonight." She holds them out as he motions for Tohru to sit. Carefully, she takes a position beside him. He looks over the trey at the girl, smiling gently. He notices the crimson creep over her cheeks, her smile in return looking rather shy.

"Thank you Tohru," He tells her, beginning to eat without another word. He hadn't realized how hungry he had been until he tastes the food. He eats a little faster, until he hears his stomach begin to rumble. His face flushes deeply as his eyes flick to the girl sitting beside him. He can only hope she's not sitting over there laughing at him and his noisy stomach.

However, as his eyes fall to the girl, the sight that greets is not the giggling, bubbly girl he'd get ready to scold for laughing. Rather, it is the sight of a girl who looks deeply worried over something. Sadness and worry are etched into her entire expression. Sighing deeply and causing Tohru to look at him, he set the trey down on the nightstand next to his bed. Her eyes follow his arm, then rise to his eyes just as he looks over at her.

"What's the matter Kyou-" She begins to ask her usual line of questions. Kyou can't let her when he has something this important to say to her.

"Tohru..." He reaches out, gently laying his hand over hers. Their eyes have remained latched, both faces deeply red in coloration, since he had set the trey on the small bedside stand."

"Yes?" She questions at the mentioning of her name, wondering what it is he could want.

"Thank you for being on my side today. I was having a bad kind of day...it was nice of you to help me out." He explains, having only just begun when he notices her wanting to launch into her usual "I didn't really do anything" sermon. He holds up his hand, instantly silencing her as if he had pushed a mute button in advance. "Before you say that you didn't do anything, let me just say that no matter what you say you did or didn't do, I'm really grateful for today."

He waits for a response, only smiling when she offers a quiet and reluctant, "You're welcome."

"Also, I just had to say that I didn't mean to upset you at all today. I...I didn't mean to worry you and I really didn't want you to cry. Believe me, I'd never intentionally hurt you. So, I'm sorry about that..." He trails off here, lowering his head and begins to rub his throbbing forehead. Thunder and lightening loom outside the window, the rain slamming into the window making the ache in his head grow stronger.

Tohru backs away a little, slightly confused, but also knowing that Kyou has more that he wants to say. She lightly tightens his hand around the cat's larger hand. They look at one another, tired, worn amber meeting a pair of vivacious baby blues.

"Kyou-kun, you once told me that when I had something to say that I should speak my mind. A-and knowing that you told me that, it gave me the courage to speak my mind even in the most fearful moments I've had. I want you to feel like you can lean on someone when you're in trouble and I'll be that someone if you want. Please lean on me. It's not a burden. So, if you're feeling like you're not strong or you need my help or have something on your mind, please feel free to tell me. I really don't mind hearing about whatever it is, even if I don't really understand-"

He cuts her off again, only this time without really meaning to. He has reached out with his free hand, placing it gently on the side of her face, his thumb gently glides over her cheek. Her expression is that of a girl completely taken aback. Normally, Kyou would blush like crazy and start yelling if someone even mentioned he had feelings. But here is the proud, strong-headed Kyou-kun, smiling like a prince and rubbing the side of her face lovingly. Her cheek is feeling the heat of a deep blush yet again.

"Yes, I get it Tohru. I just really want you to know that I'm sorry about today. I didn't want to make you cry and I didn't want to yell at you."

Her eyes are again alight with confusion, and for a few seconds Kyou must ponder the meaning of this, before she speaks.

"Don't worry Kyou-kun, I wasn't crying because of you! I was only upset because you were upset and there wasn't anything I knew to do to help you, thought I guess I did, because you said so! That's all, I'm not...mad or upset with you or anything! I promise!" She nods at the end of her rambling, as if she needs to further affirm what she had just said with actions.

Kyou simply shakes his head. He should have guessed it'd be something more like this with Tohru. She doesn't seem capable of harboring anger toward any living being and she certainly is not the type to give up so easily. Just look at her life: She had a father that died when she was no more than a toddler, and continued to smile. She had a mother that was killed only just over a year ago and she could lift her head up and continue on. She had to endure not only living with a family that treated her as a hostile witness in a courtroom, but then was forced to move out and occupy a _small tent in the woods_. Then she had met the Shomas, and though she was forced to stay in the house with repulsive people like him and keep a huge secret even from her closest friends, she was not only able to smile but also thanked them and said she loved them! Then, she even accepted him in his darkest, most downright ugly state and hugged him, carrying him all the way back home, honestly wanting only to remain by his side.

He still can't quite wrap his head around that concept, how anyone could accept him that way even though they are afraid and still love him. In this moment, he's sure that he's never witnessed a more real form of purity and beauty than the girl he's looking at. And also in this moment, he's sure he's never loved anyone more and will never love anyone more. His heart aches for the girl in front of him to love him back, all the while knowing that even if it were possible for her to love him _that way_, there would be many obstacles for them to overcome and even more hardships possible for Tohru.

"A-also...I wanted to tell you..." The frightened neko looks deep into her eyes, knowing that he'll have to tell her the truth sooner or later. No time like the present, if he would have to fathom a guess. "To tell you..."

She tilts her head, a smile filling her face. Her hand continues to hold tight to his.

"I wanted to tell you that I love you Tohru." He finally gets it out, trying not to rush it or sound as frightened as he is.

Her smile stays in place as she moves toward him a little, looking unbelievably happy. "I love you too Kyou-kun."

Upon hearing the way she speaks to him, he realizes that she has completely misunderstood him. He lowers his head a little, his heart beginning to feel like a lead weight in his chest. Now he has to give this whole nerve-wracking confession all over again. As if it wasn't bittersweet enough the first time.

"No...no, that's not what I meant. I don't mean I love you like a friend. It's...um...different than that. Like..." The poor boy has to rack his brain to come up with a good enough example, something that will make sense, clarify his meaning even to this lovely, yet dense young girl. Suddenly it hits him. "Like your father loved your mom. That's what I mean. I love you like that!" At this point he realizes that he was talking pretty loud and lowers his head, the embarrassment evident in his clammy palms and cherry red face.

He can see when the meaning behind what he has said finally sinks in. Her face becomes as red as his, before she finally directs her line of vision away from his eyes and toward the sheets. He suddenly feels panic set in, but doesn't move or even speak, quite frankly too scared of her rejecting him to even think about what to do other than stare and wait.

When she does lift her head so their eyes can meet once more, the tears dancing in the very corners of her eyes suddenly bring him back to the land of the living. His mouth falls agape, his hand already attempting to pull away from hers.

"Tohru, if it upsets you this much, just forget I said anything." He feels like crawling under a rock at the bottom of a deep chasm and never coming out again.

However, what she does next makes him rethink all of that.

"Kyou-kun, I'd never want to forget it. I really love you too Kyou-kun, I really, really love you. I had always thought before that you didn't care for me that much or found me annoying. But I'm just so happy, I can't stop the tears!" She moves her hands up to each side of her face, trying to remove the tears with her sleeves.

He moves in toward her, amazed all the more. How? How could she love him so much? How is it possible? And yet, it must be. Tohru doesn't lie to anyone, so it has to be true. His eyes shine with happiness, adoration and love. He lifts her head, wanting to look her in the eyes, regardless of her tears. His eyes latch onto hers, his mouth hanging slightly open. "Can...um...would you let me kiss you right now?" The question signifies his unique innocence, making Tohru smile and nod in return.

"Of course Kyou-kun." Her embarrassment is at it's climax. There's no doubt that this is her first kiss, and he's knows it's his.

Slowly and carefully, he leans in so that their lips brush together in a fleeting touch that feels like nothing before. He cups her cheek again, his fingertips dipping into her silken brown hair. He can hear her deep breathing and feel her pulse rising with his own. At least he doesn't feel like a pansy now that he knows she's feeling this elated as well. The touching of their lips isn't a deeply passionate kiss, nor is it a kiss meant to lead to anything more. However, it doesn't have to be to mean the world to both or them or leave them each walking in the clouds. They press their lips a little more firmly together before pulling away and staring longingly at one another.

Once Kyou comes back down to Earth, his expression fades from euphoria to seriousness and fear. "Tohru, you need to know something..."

She nods, now trying to look as serious as she can, despite the mother load of emotions rushing through her.

"We can't be a couple. At least, not right now," Well, that's really as much of the truth as he wants her to know. His face becomes downcast when he notices the shock on her face. "And please don't think that it's not because I don't want to be. Because I would love nothing more than to be a boyfriend you can be proud of. But there are just some...things...going on with the family and I don't want to make Akito angry with you. If you know the story of what happened to Hatori, then I can only imagine how much harder he'd go on you because I'm the cat. I can't let him take out his anger toward me on you. So please, for now, let's not tell anyone or become a 'couple.' If you want to kiss from time to time that's fine. Just...will you be willing to wait to be with me, no matter how long it takes or how hard it gets? Is that something you can do?"

She looks at him a moment after he finally finishes as if her answer should be obvious all ready.

"Of course I can wait, Kyou-kun. I can wait as long as it takes, I promise!" She grins at him gleefully, tilting her head to the side -a mannerism of hers that he personally finds very adorable- and starts to speak again. "And in the mean time, I want you to continue to confide in me. Please let me be the one you lean on, please lean on me. Even far, far into the future, please lean on me!"

The grateful neko leans his forehead onto hers, not even noticing that the storm outside has subsided at last. He places a hand on either side of the rice ball's face, grinning widely. "As long as you do the same thing Tohru."

**Well, there you have it, chapter one is completely finished. It's rather sweet and fluffy, while at the same time kinda dramatic. I like it nonetheless. I do hope that all of you like it as well. As always, I do not accept flames as I do not like rude people. Constructive criticism is accepted here because I know that it will help me grow as a writer. As someone who posts my writings and ramblings where literally the entire world can see them, I want to make the reading experience as good as it can be for all of you, fellow writers or readers. And I most definitely enjoy hearing from those of you who really enjoy reading what I heave written.**

**So, I really hope that most of you enjoyed it. I also hope that a good number of you will review these chapters as they come up.**

**If anyone on here knows of the Temptations, please give me a song of theirs that you think will make a good one-shot for this story, please either PM me about it to let me know you'd like me to write for it, or leave the name of the song and why you think it would make a good one-shot along with your review of the story. Thanks to all of you who take the time out of your schedules to read and review my work.**

**~StoryCurrentlyUntitled~**


	2. Stand By Me

**And, without major incident or delay, here is chapter two of my "wonderful one-shot adventure." No, Momiji isn't here, I just thought I'd start giving everything in life epic names of my own. I'm still not sure how long I'll keep going with these short stories. I suppose as many as I have songs for I'll write, so long as the ideas keep coming.**

** Anyhow, this story is going to be based off the song "Stand by Me," obviously by the Temptations. Mostly, it's going to center on Tohru and her feelings for Kyou. It's going to be a post-curse, pretty romantic one-shot. So, I suggest that those of you with weak constitutions for romance should pass this chapter by. I really hope to hear from more of you on this chapter and I also hope that everyone enjoys it.**

Evening is setting in over the Shoma household, a young brunette girl busy by the sink with a stack of dishes from their New Year's meal. Her young boyfriend had disappeared to some unknown location after the meal, leaving her to clean up the aftermath alone. Now, Tohru never minds doing housework, in fact she finds having these things to constantly keep track of and do to be rather fun. She's never bored and never ends up feeling lonely when she has a household to take care of. But at the same time, since they started dating, Kyou usually stayed behind after the meal to help put things back in order and clean the kitchen. It's extremely odd that he would chose to disappear to the roof or some other place.

She turns the knob to the shut-off position, reaching up and taking her hair out of the messy ponytail she had gathered it into prior to beginning the cleaning process. _No matter! I'm done now anyway, so I'll just go look around and see where Kyou-kun went!_ She resolves in her mind, turning around and heading toward the sitting room.

Could he possibly be snuggled under the kohatsu to escape the cold weather? She gently slides the door open, not wanting to wake him if he had fallen asleep there. However, a quick glance inside is all it takes to let her know there's no one in the room.

Maybe he just was tired after eating so much and wanted to go lay down in his room. Seems like a plausible suggestion to her. She gives the door a gentle rapping with her knuckles and waits a moment for a reply. There is none. Kyou's ears are sensitive, so even if he had been asleep he would have awoken to the sound and invited her to come in. It's simply not logical to invade his space when he's not even there.

If he's not in either of those places, he could only be in one other location: -save for the bathroom, and she isn't about to search for him there- the roof. She scurries to her room, slipping on a heavy jacket and some fluffy earmuffs. Tohru can't imagine why she would have gone looking for him any other place but the roof, as it seems to be his fortress of sorts -the place the marmalade-haired teen feels most comfortable.

She makes her way up and onto the roof, smiling when she sees the boy sprawled out in his usual position: His gaze turned heaven-ward, his arms crossed behind his head and being used as a support system and makeshift pillow, his one leg stretched out for comfort and the other bent at the knee to prevent any sliding. She climbs up onto the shingles, happy to be off the wobbly latter. She draws his attention immediately, those fiery amber orbs focusing on her as she situates herself next to him.

A small smile appears on his face as he sits up when he notices her shiver. Tentatively he places his arm around her shoulder, rubbing her arm to create friction and warm her body a bit. She snuggles a little closer to the boy, elated at the feeling of being wrapped in his arm.

"I was hoping you'd come and find me," He whispers into her ear, grinning even more widely when it earns him a small shudder. Her shyness is one of the most endearing things about her. "I actually wanted to talk to you alone for a while."

The rice ball's eyes widen, her head crooked to one side a little in curiosity. "What about, Kyou-kun?"

"I'm glad I can be with you." He states rather simply, while leaning his forehead onto hers. She giggles a bit in response to this, wrapping her arms around him in a soft embrace.

"I'm glad I can be with you too! So much, Kyou-kun. Is that all you wanted to say?" The brunette questions as she backs away, batting those big eyes at him.

The former cat shakes his head at this as a flood of memories from the past years washes over him. Meeting her, getting to know her, eating together, laughing together, taking walks and even sitting on the roof. Nothing too elaborate as far as memories, really more of just a series of snapshots of the two of them on their various adventures through their young lives, but it is enough to give him the distinct feeling of comfort and warmth in the bitter winter air. She's changed him so much ever since she tumbled into his desolate existence. She had never been repulsed by him or thought lesser of him, and really how could she? There isn't so much as a judgmental bone in her thin little body. Tohru's presence in his life had been the thing to free him from the lonely cage he had been confined to for so long. She is quite simply his life's savior, though she'd never admit to doing such a thing.

Innocent blue eyes stare at him as she awaits a response. Her tiny fingers lace into his bigger ones, the most perfect fit imaginable.

"Actually, no..." He turns around to face her carefully, shoving his free hand into his jacket pocket. "I also wanted to say that I am really glad I met you. You'll never know how grateful I am to you for all the love you have given me. You've made me feel so important and so needed. Really, you've just made me so happy..."

Those baby blues widen as a blush creeps over her features. Surely she hadn't been that much of an influence on his life. "No, no...really I didn't do so much! I just...I just..."

"You just cared a lot about me." He finishes the sentence for her after hushing her gently.

"Y-yes...I did...I do." Tohru replies quietly, still flushed, deeply touched and quite embarrassed. Her fingers tighten in place around his, signifying her nervousness.

"Tohru, I need to ask you something really important," He swallows mid-sentence, his neck feeling flushed. For some reason, the lump in his throat just won't disappear and he begins to fidget with his fingers inside his pocket.

"Okay, you know you can ask me anything Kyou-kun."

Her tender response is enough to curb his pent up uneasiness. Slowly he pulls his hand out of his pocket, holding his loosely clenched fist between the two of them. A flood of red fills his face. The girl moves a little closer, wondering what he could possibly be holding.

"I know that I'm supposed to kneel or something, but I figured I'd take a less traditional route, seeing as I wanted to do this here." The cat gives her a little smile, earning a nod of partial understanding in return. The look of curiosity on her face is making him want to move as fast as possible with the small speech that must follow his first statement. "Tohru, this is the first place that I realized I had feelings for you. This is where we'd console each other when things got tough. This is where I learned so much about the girl I love and that's why this couldn't possibly happen anywhere but here..."

He slowly pulls his fingers back, revealing a beautiful but simple 1/4 carat diamond set in a thin gold band and a small black velvet box. Her eyes rapidly widen as she glances from the ring to Kyou's face. His eyes soften a bit as his confidence builds.

"I think you know what comes next," He whispers affectionately. She nods, tears beginning to roll down over her extremely red cheeks.

Tohru can't even begin to believe this is really happening. Well, it would have had to at some point if they really are meant to stay together, however, this scenario still comes across to her as something that only happens in romance novels or movies. It hardly seems like it should be real. She sobs softly, letting go of his hand to cover her cheeks in utter shock.

"Tohru, I love you and I promise I'll stand by you. Come hell or high water I will. Will you please marry me?" He takes a deep breath, just happy that the words are finally out. My god, it seems to have taken a lifetime to get all the words out. At least now the only need for words is going to be left up to Tohru, as she must make a decision and answer him. One second passes, then another and yet another. It seems an eternity before the overwhelmed girl opens her mouth. He hangs on her every movement as if not seeing or being able to cherish a single thing would deprive him of the very air he breathes.

"Y...Yes of course I will, please stand by me!" She timidly holds out left hand, watching him smile happily as he lifts the ring from it's resting place and slips it onto her finger.

After a brief but tight embrace, Kyou moves back just enough to lean in and give her a passionate kiss. His thumbs rub her temples shakily, his breaths coming out quickly and excitedly. Her hands come up to cover his as his separates their lips. They smile at one another, foreheads gently leaned together.

"I will stand by you too Kyou-kun. I love you very much!"

"I know you will..." He brushes the loose strands of hair behind her ear, glad they now have a lifetime ahead of them to cherish and stand by one another.

**Well, that's it for chapter two. I know that this chapter was a little cheesy and that there are a lot of stories where he proposes to Tohru, but I needed a scene that truly matched the tone of the song. I hope that you all enjoy this and I can't wait to hear from those of you with comments. As always, no flames. If you don't like a story, it's okay to just not read it. Thanks to both of the people who reviewed the first chapter and I am glad that you like it so much. **


	3. My Girl

**Hey everyone, it's Untitled. I'm back again with another short story to add to my "Wonderful one-shot adventure." Yes, that's the name I want and I'm sticking to it. I actually started singing this while cleaning up the mountain of dishes in the sink. -.-' (I am the type to leave things get that way before I realize it.)**

** Well then, about the story. The song is one of my personal favorites, and also the title of a movie. If you don't already know, the story this time will be themed to the song "My girl." **

** Basically just going to be Kyou's thoughts on what Tohru means to him and her significance in his life.**

He's not really sure of what it is, this thing that pulls one from their dreams and back into reality, but he can feel it's about to happen as he rolls over in bed and is pulled away from the hazy pictures in his subconscious mind. His muscles all begin to tighten as he reluctantly wakes up from a particularly peaceful slumber filled with good dreams. He blinks once, taking in the unclear vision of his surroundings and then squeezes his eyes closed with the unwanted light entering the room.

The sun hasn't even begun to rise up over the distant horizon as of yet and he rolls his eyes in frustration. It's his day off of everything. Off from the dojo, off of work, off of volunteering. Yet, the time to wake seems to be embedded somewhere deep inside his body in a place he wishes he could find and vanquish. He never had any intention of being up this early. What a waste of time that could be put to use in the form of catching up on his rest.

His eyes open slowly, his head feeling tender from the blood flow having been forced to speed up. Groaning as silently as he can, Kyou rubs his blood-shot eyes. His hair -he is sure- is sticking out at all kinds of weird angles, giving him the distinct appearance of some crazed mad scientist type. He knows he has morning breath, judging by the taste in his mouth. But all these things become irrelevant when he turns his head to the side he had rolled over from in the beginning.

There, looking chaste as ever, is the sleeping from of his love, his hope and stay, his reason for being, his Tohru. Her hands are tucked cutely under her head, one wrapped behind her pillow and the other just under her chin. Her mouth hangs open slightly, her gentle breaths passing over her soft, pink lips. Her morning hair has to be one of the cutest sights he'd ever witnessed, though he isn't entirely sure if that's a compliment due to the fact that he can find almost anything she does to be adorable. Soft, silky strands have strayed down over her lips, making her look unknowingly seductive while the rest simply frames her facial features. _The best picture ever, for sure._

His face flushes a deep crimson as he forces himself to look away. That was a particularly corny thought to suddenly pop to the front of his mind. _But, it's still true._ He simply sighs, turning toward the sleeping onigiri and hoping that he's careful enough not to wake her.

He reaches out and tenderly runs his index, middle finger and thumb over her now slightly more angled cheekbone. A tiny smile works its way over her lips and she leans into his touch.

He closes his eyes, smiling to himself. For such a long, lonely period of time in the past, Kyou had always been the screw-up, the black sheep, the bad kid. He never thought he'd find someone to love, hell he'd never even tried to look because he had thought it was all in vain. After Tohru's abrupt entrance into his obsolete and vague existence, he had tried to continue with the facade he kept up around family members. He couldn't possibly care for anyone, not after what he had done to his own mother and father, he'd constantly tell himself. As far as he was concerned he had no right to love anyone, the least of all of them was Tohru Honda.

But even with everything that had happened at that time, he couldn't stop those feelings from forming. He couldn't hold himself back from being grateful for her general acceptance of him, her need to have him in her life. When no one had ever needed him, for the first time he was presented with a being -an angel really- who couldn't handle letting him go. Who, despite all the odds stacked against them and all the difficulties they faced wanted only to remain at his side, taking care of him and being his friend. Tohru had never in her life had a double meaning to anything she did. She never wanted to hurt him or put him down. Her actions were only ever born or pure intention and her love for the people she held dear. Even now, that is her way.

She had been his lone ray of light beckoning to him in an endless dark night. She had been the sunshine in all the rain that seemed to be endlessly pouring down around him. If people back then thought that he hated the rain simply because he was the cat of the zodiac, they were all completely incorrect. He hated the rain because he was sick of it and the depression it forced so horribly upon him. Tohru was the fresh spring breeze that ended the eternal snow inside his soul. She may have had that effect on each of the zodiac members in their respective ways, but to him it is all special. Because to her, he is special.

After being offered her acceptance and her love he felt like he was never in need of anything else. He could be dirt poor, but standing beside her would make him feel like the richest man alive. He could be a nameless, faceless no one and with her, be the most loved and famed of all. Of course, he still tries as hard as the next guy to provide her a good life and to protect her. But with her by his side, he feels as though anything is possible.

She's got to be the sweetest human being on the face of the planet. She cooks, cleans and carries out chores in his absence entirely and accurately with no complaint and without asking for anything in return. By the time he returns home in the evening, the house is sparkling. Walls are wiped down to the point of being faintly reflective. Windows are so clear they don't appear to be closed. Floors sparkle. The entire interior smells like lilac cleaning solution, but not to the point of being overwhelming. His clothes are always washed in a timely fashion and hung outside to dry, then everything is pressed and laid out with care. At the end of the day, everything is orderly, neat and clean.

Something good is always freshly made and waiting on the table when he walks in, hungry from the work of the day draining the calories from his body. She also surprises him sometimes, baking a sweet fruit tart or a batch of cookies to gorge on. He would never force her to do the things she does nor would he tell her he wants her too. These are all things Tohru does because she loves being able to take care of him.

His eyes open uneasily, and he stares at the girl who is beginning to stir beside him. Her big blue eyes flutter open, a big Tohru smile etched over her face as she looks up at him. He gives her his own trademark grin in return, watching in adoration as she moves her fingers into a locked position with his own and wriggles her tiny body closer.

"Good morning Kyou." The honorifics had stopped being used when they moved in together in their small, yet homey apartment. Although, he had never used a honorific with her name, not even once.

"Good morning Tohru," The carrot top places a feather light kiss to her cheekbone, watching her blush with great affection shown in his amber orbs. "I love you."

His onigiri's face begins to become a deep red and he can't suppress a light-hearted giggle. He ruffs up her hair, feeling his chest swell to the point of exploding. How unbelievably adorable can one person be?

"I love you too Kyou." She mumbles in an embarrassed tone.

He pulls her into a tight yet innocent embrace, squeezing his eyes closed. This earns a small squeak from the brunette girl. He needs to hug her so badly at this point, unable to stand up against his affection any longer.

"God Tohru, you're adorable..." He mumbles into her neck, feeling the shiver that rattles her body.

"T-thank you Kyou!" Her voice is but a tiny squeak as she replies, her hands clinging to the back of his shirt.

"Just lie here with me for a bit okay?" His request is simple and he knows the girl won't say no. He just needs to be beside her and not feel any obligation to leave her side for a while. Their lives had been so busy since becoming independent. For the first time in a long time, he has some time to spend simply cherishing his girl. That's all he asks for. Some simple time to appreciate the sweetest, kindest and most important thing in his life. His Tohru, his girl. He can feel the girl snuggle into his chest, her hands moving from around his body to come up around his shoulders.

"Okay Kyou. I won't go anywhere."

"You'd better not."

**Well, this is even shorter than the other two but this is "My girl." Kyou is rather sweet in this chapter, but I imagine that they'd be just as lovey as any other couple once they had time to themselves. Please read and enjoy this and as in the preceding chapters, I do not accept any flames. I have a serious conviction with rude people, haha. Constructive criticism and positive feedback only. **

**Anyhow, look forward to more sweetness and innocence in future chapters. This is Tohru and Kyou from Fruits Basket after all. I'd like to keep them as in character as is possible. Thanks to my 3 lovely reviewers. I respect people who take their time to share their thoughts on my work very much and I also love hearing nice things about the pieces I write. Enjoy my coming work that much as well!**


	4. Just my Imagination

**Hey everyone, here is the fourth chapter. This one will be kinda depressing for poor Kyou. It is going to be set still during the curse, while Kyou thought he would be locked away. The story will focus mainly on his daydreams of being able to have a family and a normal life with the girl he loves. The life that he can "never have."**

** This story is going to be themed to the song "Just My Imagination." I hope everyone enjoys the piece even though it will be sad in the end.**

**Just as a heads up, because it alternates so much depending on which translation of the manga you read, I'm not entirely sure which is the correct spelling of Kyou's surname. So I may go back and forth between Shoma, Sohma and Soma once in a while. I apologize if this bothers anyone, it's kind of a bad habit that I have gotten into and can't break myself out of. Well, please enjoy the story anyway.**

Kyou Sohma walks into the welcoming foyer of his cozy home to see his young fiancee setting the table with a gentle smile on her face. Her eyes light up when her gaze falls upon him and she makes her way toward him to give him a tender kiss on the cheek. He looks forward to seeing her in her white satin wedding dress as he stands at the end of the isle in the church tomorrow.

They'd been planning this wedding for the past year and trying to make everything comfortable and lovely for themselves and their guests. Kyou considered himself lucky that Tohru never once turned into bridezilla, forcing every detail to be perfect down to making sure the flowers in each bouquet were arranged just so or each centerpiece was aligned and laid out perfectly. He was so glad that she wasn't the kind of girl who was obsessed with making everything appear perfect as if putting on some kind of unnecessary performance for the guests. He imagined that she would be the most radiant bride tomorrow not because she was trying hard to keep up some kind of facade to impress anyone, but because it would truly be the happiest day of her life.

The way he looks at it, if your feelings are real then nothing about the day should be fake. He feels, in a way, that by trying to push an agenda or put on a show in one of the most important and defining moments in your life that you are misrepresenting yourself and your entire wedding as something that just isn't real. Weddings aren't about impressing anyone, they are about family and friends coming together to cherish one another and cheer on the happy couple.

He could imagine various friends and family commenting on how happy he looked or what a beautiful ceremony it was or how they belong together. He could just imagine listening as the giggling bridesmaids told Tohru tales of how cute their children would be or wondered what married life would be like themselves. The happiest day of his life was coming up in just 24 hours.

This is the life that he's yearned for. He, Kyou Sohma was the cat of the zodiac and as such, was never allowed anything, least of all to fall in love. But once the curse had been lifted he and his girlfriend got settled down together and made a home for themselves. The life he thought he could never have: To have his own home and a fiancee, to one day have children and grandchildren to have a boat to take out on the lake or invite guests to a family event. But more than anything else, just to have her in his life. As long as he has Tohru, all those other things are one the back burner. They'll all happen with the passage of time.

They eat together happily, speaking about each of their days and expressing their anxious feelings toward the following day. After ward they wash all the sloppy dishes and head off to sleep, holding tightly to one another. The image of them clinging to one another perfectly fits the way they both feel about the events of days to come.

The following morning is filled with the usual wedding chaos. Guests who were either going to be relatively late or were not able to come are calling every few minutes with their long and involved personal stories. Tohru has left the house, not wanting Kyou to see her wearing her gown until the wedding and insisting that it would be bad luck for their marriage if he would happen to. One of her friends most likely put that silly idea into her head. He had been in a rush to help get things set up with the people preparing their reception meal and entertainment, get his tux and be certain it fit okay. He then welcomes the best man and his two groomsmen into his humble abode, to be sure that they all knew the little details. Overall, it isn't anything thing that would be mindbogglingly irritating. Just the initial rush of excitement from being around so many people happy to see you found your special someone and the overwhelming happiness on the most significant day of your life.

As he passes through the large church door and proceeded to the end of the isle, he takes notice of how well laid out it is. Simple, yet beautiful. Little yellow daisies were pinned to ribbons and strung along the backs of pews. A plain satin Isle runner lines the open space in between the rows of seating. At the altar the sits three vases filled with white and yellow flowers of some sort and more simple yellow daisies.

He could only smile looking at them, remembering the time when Tohru picked the colors.

_"Mom always told me flower colors have meanings. More specifically, roses, but I still like the yellow daisies the best. Yellow stands for friendship, joy and new beginnings and white means purity and honesty. I want everyone there to have that feeling!" _

When she had told him those words, he couldn't have thought she picked better colors to represent her own personality and the true meaning behind being married. Tohru is herself a pure and honest person, someone who gives other joy and new beginnings and treasures her friendships above almost anything else.

Seeing her walk down the isle with his adoptive father would be enough to melt almost any man, and it certainly did him. He could feel his heart beating a little faster as he looks at this vision of loveliness coming his way. Her gown was a lovely white and fit her body perfectly, without any tailoring needed. There is a touch of embroidery across her waistline, accented with small silver-ish beads that slowly increase in length from her right to her left. Highlighted by a simple, silver band of pearls strung around her neck, the only strap on the dress goes up and twists around her neck in a little loop. A long, thin lace veil covers her pretty make-up free skin. As far as he can tell, the only thing related to make-up she is wearing is the tiny slick of gloss adorning her lips. The train trails behind her, being carried at the end by a cute Kisa in a little beige flower girl dress.

The only oddity -though he can understand why she has done it- is a single red rose bud pinned to the left side of her veil to create a "tucked-behind-the-ear" look. A simple pair of white gloves and a bride's bouquet of yellow and white daisies complete her look. She is simply the most wonderful, breathtakingly gorgeous bride he's ever laid eyes on. And she is his, which makes this moment all the more wonderful.

The best man -also happening to be the one who walked his bride down the isle- lines up beside him, in between carrot top and his two best friends.

Tohru steps into place beside her maid of honor, Risa Uotani and her two bridesmaids, Saki Hanajima and Kagura Sohma, his cousin. Uotani and Kagura both were suited to the beige dresses, but looking at Saki wearing another color as apposed to black is wrong on so many different levels of interpretation.

He glances out quickly over the small crowd of family and friends in the stands. Shigure, Momiji, Hatsuharu and Rin in the first pew on the left-hand side, then behind them Hiro and his parents. In the first pew on the right-hand side, Ritsu and his mother and father sit, behind them Ayame, Yuki and Hatori. A few of the other Sohma had come as well, though not anyone he knew all that well. In the following pews were a few people that Tohru and Kyou knew in their high school years. All the men -yes, even Hiro, though probably through great force- came wearing their suits and ties and each woman was in a nice-looking dress of their own.

He turns his eyes back to Tohru, who is giving him her best smile yet. Her face is flushed a deep red, her eyes filled with nervous anticipation. He smiles at her, knowing she was the best thing to ever happen to him before the pastor begins his reading.

The reception goes off without a hit, food that Tohru herself had carefully prepared for everyone being served as music plays and people and children dance together. Old men sit at tables talking about their "old days," and telling corny jokes and stories they presume to be funny to anyone who will listen. Women are naturally gossiping about this and that and talking about children as he and his brand new bride pass from table to table visiting with everyone and thanking them for coming.

Even though the honeymoon was grand and he had plenty of adventures, many of the memories they made visiting The Bahamas were ones he only wishes to keep to himself.

Months later, after much more chaos and planning, their first child is born. A little boy with fiery goldenrod eyes and a laugh that would be enough to warm the heart of the most bitter of people. The baby was born very small, so tiny that he could be held in his proud father's two large hands.

Once Tohru is discharged from the hospital and given the doctor's consent, she went in search of a job to help support the needs of the baby. The boy grows well and happy, free of care and polite yet slightly air-headed like his mother. His hair begins to come in a rich chestnut brown, not unlike Tohru's. Kyou and Tohru watch their first child grow to be a preschooler, and start thinking of having another.

The three of them take a few small trips together, going on picnics in the park and to barbecues with the family before the second baby is born, this one a little girl. With tiny sprouts of orange hair already coming onto her head at two days old, she looks immediately like her father. And when her eyes begin to further develop, they are a beautiful blue. The Gods have blessed their children with their parent's resemblance. Kyou couldn't possibly be happier holding his children and having his wife at his side.

Thunder crashes noisily outside his window, startling the orange-haired teen back into a waking state. He looks around the dark and unfamiliar room wondering how on Earth he had ended up where he is. His body feels sticky with sweat from sleep and when he looks over, there is no Tohru to greet him. What's going on here? He was just with his family and sharing in some of his happiest times with everyone.

A rather sudden sinking feeling grasps his stomach as realization hits him. It had all been just his imagination. None of it had ever really happened. It had all simply been a dream born of his own imaginings. None of what he had just seen was real, not the love, not the wedding, not the family and especially not the happiness. None of those things really existed. His hand about tears a hole in his blanket as he lets the information sink in. None of it could ever happen, not one single, solitary moment of happiness could happen in his life. For, as the cat of the zodiac, come graduation, he is to be locked away in a dark cell deep within Sohma house. He could never be happy again once that happens. And he shouldn't be. He has not right to be.

His own mother killed herself because she couldn't stand having a monster for a son. His father became estranged and hated him. He even let _her_ mother die. The person that means more than anything in the world to him and he just let her mother walk out into the road and be run down. He shouldn't be allowed to feel this way, in fact he doesn't even want to. It kills him to have such strong feelings for someone that he'll never have a chance with even if he had the right to love her from the start. But, in the end, he probably deserves this pain. If it's the only way to repent of his sins then he _must_ do it.

Tears sting at the corners of his eyes for a moment before all he's kept bottled up inside breaks loose all at once and he begins to sob openly. He wraps his hands around his knees, the pain coursing through his bind and body too ridiculous for any one person to bear alone. Lightening illuminates the room as he wipes some of the tears away and immediately falls prey to another assault of tears. Soon the dream that he had concocted in his mind as he slept tonight and dreams like it will be his only comforts in life.

"Tohru..." He mumbles into his bed pants shakily as more tears roll down over his cheeks. "Tohru!" His heart aches for the girl and the love she has shown him. Since when has he loved her this much? The answer is unclear. What is clear is that she is the one thing he's going to miss. The most important thing he will miss.

As he wipes away the tears yet another time, there comes a gentle knock on his door. He tries quickly and desperately to hide the evidence that he had been crying and turns toward the door.

"C-Come in," He manages to keep his voice steady as the young brunette walks in, looking rather worried.

"Are you okay Kyou-kun?" She asks gingerly, not wanting to get into trouble with the temperamental boy.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Thanks for checking on me." He says in an aloof tone, trying not to give anything away. This night's already been way too emotional for his liking and he doesn't know how much more he can handle.

"Oh, I um...you're welcome. I was just passing by to go back to my room and heard you saying my name..." When the tiny girl tells him his his head turns in her direction, his eyes sadly pleading for mercy.

"No!" He yells. "I wasn't saying your name! Now just go away already!"

Her eyes widen a bit until her face falls, downcast. "I understand Kyou-kun. Sorry to have disturbed you. I'll go now..."

When she turns away solemnly and walks away, the cat can't decide what's more painful: Hurting her and watching her sulk like this or accepting her when when he doesn't deserve it. He tightly clenches a fist as the door to his room slides to a close. _God, I'm such a useless guy..._

On the other side of the door leans a hunched over Tohru, looking particularly glum. In her eyes however, flashes a fierce determination. _Don't worry Kyou-kun. I will find a way to break this curse. I will, I promise._ She stands straight, walking back to her room tiredly and once again, leaving Kyou to his own imagination.

**And here it is finally, chapter four. It's pretty sad like I said, but hopefully still okay. Please leave some comments for me to allow my head to swell to epic proportions while reading. No flames, no rude people. Serious conviction, like I said. If you must criticize it then be polite. I'd like to grow more talented as a writer and I know that will help me. **

**Thanks to all who have reviewed my work so far. You few people who have read and like my story are the best. Also, I'd just like to say that the reviewer Storyunfinished is not me setting up a second account to give reviews to myself. Not that desperate and definitely not stupid enough to make a name that greatly resembles my own pen name to review my own stories. That person is in fact my fiancee, who sometimes gets online to read my work. He picked that name because he's not creative at all. And I was pretty mad he ripped off my pen name. But I still love him:)**

**As a final note, I'd like to encourage everyone to keep reading and I really hope that you all enjoy my coming chapters as much as the previous ones. **


End file.
